PENANG, 20 August 2014 - Undergraduate students of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Thailand, invented a cream formulated from natural ingredients including black pepper and ginger that were claimed to remove fat from any part of the body and helps to rejuvenate the skin.

One of the students, Nattarine Premoohanawang, 20, said that black pepper and ginger helps to prevent cancer and diabetes as shown in the research conducted by her, Wannapa Tewanik, and Chanakarn.

“It is a way to make traditional medicine as black pepper is known to relieve respiratory disorders, coughs, the common cold, and constipation while ginger maintains normal blood circulation, and prevents flu and cold,” she said.

She recommended the consumption of two tablespoons of shredded ginger in a cup twice or thrice a day.

“Drinking a mixture of ginger and honey several times a day helps to ward off cold as it is also used in cooking and the making of candy,” Nattarine said, adding that it has not been determined the maximum quantity of ginger one can take per day.

She highlighted that black pepper has anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that help heal various ailments from common colds to cancer.

“Among the minerals found in black peppers are iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, Vitamins A and C, magnesium, zinc, and chromium,” she said. “It is the chromium in black pepper that helps to metabolise fats and carbohydrates in the body, thereby producing energy for cells to breakdown fats.”

She explained that her group researched for this project on a cream that burns fats when applied on the skin.

“You have to apply the cream daily over a period of five days and it is going to make the life of some people much easier without having to do strenuous exercises to achieve the same result as one who did,” said Nattarine.

This innovative product is among the 118 research project ideas exhibited by ambitious young researchers from 21 public and private institutions of higher learning of Malaysia and ASEAN countries at the Novel Research and Innovation Competition 2014 (NRIC 2014) held at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 19 to 22 August 2014.

Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi were among the four institutions of higher learning from Thailand who took part in the competition. The others were King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Princess of Naradhiwas University and Chachoengsao Technical College.

NRIC 2014 was launched today by USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman. Also present were Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students Affairs and Development) Professor Dr. Adnan Hussein and NRIC 2014 project director, Zhameir Shafiq Mohd Ilias. - Text: Mina Seifi/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa